Fated Mirror
by Catatonic Inspiration
Summary: *Collab Fic with AliceUnderSkies13* Twins Rin and Len, though they are different, are bound together by fate. Whether it is their destiny to stand as allies or enemies remains unseen. Throughout their lives they face obscurity, separation, corruption, and their own inner fears. What will become of these fated mirror images, and what is to be their fate?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everybody! This is a collaboration between me and AliceUnderSkies13! It IS a Vocaloid fic, but in an attempt to make it as original as possible, all the main characters have original names.**

**In this chapter, you meet**

**Ria Verrucae (Kagamine Rin)  
**

**Lear Verrucae (Kagamine Len)  
**

**Migina Ansell (Hatsune Miku)  
**

**As for the others, you'll know as they appear! xD**

**Also, this is set before the main events of the story. Think of it like a prologue chapter of sorts, because it leads into the story. Ria and Lear are seven, and Migina is eight.  
**

* * *

The pale moon, a frowning, frostbitten face, was hidden by a grey cloud and surrounded by a sea of stars. Below, the still water was filled with these same celestial eyes. Waves lapped at the shadowed shore and rocked the hull of the swaying canoe that was resting in the open water. Ria and her brother, Lear, stood at either end of the canoe. Ria held a fishing rod in her hands, they had snuck out to the lake for one purpose; to catch one of the glittering fish that swam beneath the glass-like surface. The two of them loved to sit on the rocky shore and watch the fish swim, their scales glinting whenever a beam of sunlight touched their bodies.

"We should catch one," Ria had said earlier that day. "And then we could eat it for dinner."

"Or we could put it in a glass bowl," Lear had suggested quietly. "We could keep it alive...instead of killing it." His round eyes, a deep cornflower blue, had widened and shimmered with unseen tears.

Ria had responded with a punch to her brother's arm. "Stop being so soft! You're gonna be a warrior one day, so get used to killing stuff! And if it makes you feel any better, I'll just stab it while you're not looking."

Lear remembered his sister's words, and the grin that had spread across her face. Her hair was short and yellow, just like his, so people often got the two of them confused, but when Ria smiled, there was no mistaking that she was the wilder, bolder twin destined for the throne. A single tooth missing, scratches on her sunburnt cheeks, Ria looked more like a natural fighter than Lear.

_She should be the warrior, not me, _Lear thought to himself. He peered over the edge of the canoe, seeing nothing but the endless darkness of the black lake.

"This is stupid!" Ria suddenly exclaimed, dropping her fishing pole in frustration. Lear glanced up, "What's wrong, Ria?"

Ria growled, "The stupid fish won't get caught on the dumb hook! I even put a worm on it! Fish like worms, right?"

Lear couldn't stop a chuckle, "It depends on the species, sis. Some fish prefer bread, or algae, or even other fish." Ria pouted, slouching on her arms, "You know Lear, you're the smart one. I'm too dumb to be a queen like everybody says I have to be."

Lear put a hand on his sister's shoulder, "You're not dumb. Whenever we play chess, you always have me beat! I stink at seeing the opponent's next move and stuff."

Ria waved him off, watching the water's ripples cause the moon's reflection to refract and fade. "Tactics are easy. It's all that booksmarts stuff I suck at," she muttered, "You should be the heir, not me. I'd like to be a warrior, a super strong one."

Lear opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a quick squeal from Ria. Something was tugging at the fishing pole's string.

"Woah! We got a bite!" she said happily, picking it up and trying to reel it in. She grunted, being slowly pulled forward, "It's strong! Lear, help me with this!"

Lear jumped up and nodded, grabbing his sister's shoulders and pulling her backwards. Together they managed to reel in a flopping silver fish, probably about a half foot in length.

Ria grinned wildly, "We did it! We caught a fish all by ourselves! Now we can eat it!"

Lear nodded, "Yeah sis, but...do you know how to cook a fish?"

The blonde girl thought for a moment, before slumping her shoulders in defeat.

"Uh...no...Do you?" She was answered by a shake of Lear's head. "Then what was the point of catching it if we can't eat it?"

Lear shrugged. "Um, well, it's still alive," he said, gesturing to the flopping creature in the canoe's floor, "Wet your hands in the water." He demonstrated by dipping his hands in the lake, dampening them. Ria followed his example. "Okay, now, we throw it back."

Ria nodded and unhooked the fish's mouth, then she and Lear picked it up and threw it back into the water, together.

"Okay, but why did we have to wet our hands?" she asked him, sitting back down.

"Because, fish have special slime on their scales that keeps them from getting sick. If you touch them with dry hands, it rubs it off, and they'll die. I read it in a book," he explained, sitting next to her.

"Ohhh. Okay." Ria yawned, "It's late, and I'm sleepy. Let's go back home." She grabbed one of the oars from where they had been left in the canoe's bottom, and Lear took the other one.

Together, they led the little boat back to shore. The air was becoming colder, and a light snow had begun to fall. "Look, there's Migina," Ria said, breathing hard as she leaned against the oars. Her voice was taken by a sudden breath of wind that flung her words across the silent lake. Icy fingers worked their way in between her vertebrae, sending a spasm of cold down her spine. "It's cold, Lear, row faster!"

They pushed against the oars and Migina's slight body grew larger in the distance. The closer they got, the more in focus she appeared, her form hidden by the dark shadows of the tall trees. Finally, the canoe hit the pebbly shore, and Ria hopped out of the boat.

"Hey Migina! Have you been waiting here the whole time? It's freezing!" she said, helping Lear get out of the boat without tripping.

Migina stepped out of the shadows, the moonlight revealing a girl, about a year older than Ria and Lear, with long, light blue hair and bandages covering her left eye.

"You guys are going to get in trouble for being out so late, and if you get sick from being in the cold, the other servants will have my head. What were you doing out here anyways?" Migina asked, holding out a blanket to them.

"Catching fish!" Ria said excitedly. "And we caught a whole bunch of them, didn't we Lear?" She elbowed her brother and grinned.

"Uh, sure," Lear said, shrugging.

A tiny smile blossomed on Migina's face, she could tell that they were lying. She didn't anything, though. Instead she closed her pale blue eyes and nodded solemnly. "Well, good job, Your Majesties. But we really need to get back to the palace. I..." She lowered her head and swallowed. "I was so worried about you two, out on the lake, alone, and if any had happened I'd be so sad...and..." She subconsciously touched the red welts on the back of her neck, still fresh from her most recent beating. The other servants were not too fond of Migina. They found her to be odd, detached, and spoiled because of all the nice things she was given. But having fine, silk dresses and solid gold jewelry did not mean much to Migina; she just wanted to make Ria and Lear happy.

"That Migina is good for nothing," the other servants would hiss. "She hardly ever works, is terribly unfriendly, and strange overall. She's stupid too, what kind of idiot gets themselves poked in the eye by a sword? Prince Lear was just practicing his swordsmanship and that stupid little girl walked right in front of it." These kinds of taunts followed Migina everywhere, but she had learned to block them out, her inner self secretly plotting her tormentor's untimely end.

"Don't look so sad," Lear suddenly said, breaking her train of thought. "We're all right, and I swear that you won't get in trouble."

"T-thanks, Lear," Migina stuttered, her cheeks burning.

"Yes, well this chat is very lovely, but we need to get out of here," Ria said quickly. "Look, palace guards! If they catch us then we'll all lose our heads. Now run!"

Grabbing both Lear's and Migina's hand, she dashed into the forest. The three children flew through the wood, tree branches whipping across their faces, scratching their arms, and tugging them back. Ria held tight to their hands and led them forward, pulling them over exposed roots and broken tree limbs. Adrenaline pumping through her veins, her breath loud and heavy, Ria felt exhilaration unlike any she'd felt before.

_Is this what it feels like to run into battle? _She thought.

"Slow down!" Lear shouted. "Ria, you're going to kill us!"

"Just relax, I've got it covered!" she shouted back and pumped her legs faster.

Her senses heightened, Ria was able to hear the forest as it creaked and moaned. She felt the wind lashing against her back and the snow peppering her eyelashes. Above, hawks jumped from tree branch to tree branch, and a wolf howled from somewhere out in mountains, outside the castle grounds. The avian patrolmen of the night moved unknowingly, whispering to each other and occasionally swooping down to snatch a mouse off the forest floor. Ria stopped suddenly, Lear and Migina stumbling to a halt, and looked behind her. Her large eyes widened in the darkness.

Standing before them, silhouetted by the moon, was a bear. A large black bear, and from the look of the white foam glistening in the light around its mouth, it was rabid.

Migina almost screamed, but before she could Ria's hand was covering her mouth. Lear

clung to the back of Ria's dress, and she put a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay quiet. "It hasn't noticed us yet," she breathed, "Step back, slowly..."

Lear and Migina followed Ria's instructions, stepping backwards, one foot at a time. Ria followed them, her amazingly blue eyes never leaving the bear's figure.

Just when they were starting to relax a bit, Migina tripped on a stray tree root. Her surprise combined the pain of landing on her still aching back caused her to squeal loudly.

And of course, the bear noticed.

It sniffed up in the air, turn towards the three children. Migina screamed again, and it growled. "Migina, shut up!" Ria snapped, yanking her up off of the ground. The bear was coming towards them now, and it was coming fast. Ria looked to her brother, "Run!"

Lear nodded and took off in the opposite direction from the bear. Ria and Migina followed.

Even more adrenaline was pumping its way through Ria this time, and she was actually praying that one of the guards would find them. The guard would be able to protect them from the terrifying black creature chasing them through the darkened forest. Ria couldn't do anything to keep herself and her friends safe, she could only run.

But maybe that's the solution...?

Ria stopped, and Migina and Lear turned towards her. "Ria!" Migina exclaimed, "What are you doing? Come on!" Lear agreed. "Come on sis! It's right behind us!" he said, gesturing in the direction where the bear was.

Ria waved him off, "Both of you shut up and go ahead. I'm fastest; I'll distract it."

Before either of the other two could argue, she turned back and ran towards the bear's direction. Lear made a move to go after her, but Migina grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Ria will be okay," she told him, "Let's just go like she told us!"

"But..." Lear began, but he never finished, Migina pulling him along, away from his sibling.

Ria picked up a few rocks and pine cones as she ran towards the bear, and when she came close enough that it could probably easily snap her up in its jaws, she started yelling. "Come get me, you stupid black dummy!" she screamed at it, throwing a pine cone at its head. It turned towards her with a thunderous roar, teeth gnashing, massive claws swatting at the air around her. She ducked, hearing the sound of its hooked claws cutting through the empty space, almost as if it were tearing the very molecules apart.

"Bear!" a voice suddenly shouted. It was a guard, Ria could tell by the jingling of chainmail and creak of armor that met her ears. The bear heard the noise too, and whipped its head around, growling and foaming wildly .Out from the bushes, a lone guard burst forth, brandishing his sword. He looked a little awkward, his armor oversized, his sword held in unsteady hands.

_Great, he's an apprentice, _Ria groaned inwardly, _as green as that bush he jumped out of._

"En garde, you furry demon!" the guard cried dramatically. "Have you eaten our prince and princess? I shall cut them from your stomach!" And with a rather pathetic scream he ran towards the bear.

"Look out!" Ria shrieked.

The guard was halfway there, and then the bear lunged forward and knocked him aside like a rag doll. The guard hit a tree with a sickening crack, a flurry of leaves falling from the canopy as his body slid down the trunk.

Ria was still standing in the same spot, her chest heaving and heart pounding. She turned the rocks over in her hand, trying to come up with an bear became still for a few moments, sniffing the air with its long snout and pawing at the ground with its massive forelegs. The monstrosity of it seemed to melt away, the darkness and the mystery of nature settling over its hulking black form. Its fur looked as coarse as pine needles, its teeth were polished pieces of ivory, but still, it didn't look so scary after all. Ria tried to grin, but her face felt numb. She managed a half-smile, attempting to think positive thoughts, and took a single step to the right.

The bear must have sensed her movement, because all at once it turned around, roaring, and rose up on its hind legs . It towered over her, devouring her body its ebony shadow. Sweat rolled down Ria's face and she grit her teeth, trying to suppress a scream. Bulbous eyes, as large and as dark as twin new moons, glared down at her. Killer claws, foaming gums, soulless eyes, a gaping maw, red and bloody, ringed in a dozen pointed teeth...a dozen sharp teeth, like so many knives, waiting to rip into her flesh...

And then Ria's eyes fell on the sword. It was lying in the grass, a few feet away from the unconscious guard. Silver moonbeams fell upon its tempered blade and Ria knew what she had to do. She held her breath, waiting in agonizing silence.

_One, two, three...go_

Screaming, she ran, as nimble as an acrobat. She ducked and weaved, her heart beating in her ears. It felt like such a giant space to cross, and then she was there, only a few steps away. A root entangled her feet and she tumbled forward. The bear growled and turned around, ready to kill. Lying in the snow-covered grass, Ria reached forward.

"So close, I can feel the hilt! Almost there..." Her fingers brushed the cold silver; she could hear the bear behind her. With another scream, one as loud as a battle-cry, she gripped the sword and turned around, her blue eyes blazing.

A roar of pain, a grunt, a groan, flashes of moonlight and a wall of black fur, and then she saw blood. It splattered onto the snow and drenched Ria in a wave of red. With one final moan, the bear fell, shaking the forest floor. Ria sat in silence, her eyes wide and vacant, the sword still in her hand, only now, it was covered with blood.

Ria stared at the dripping red blade, breathing hard. _I...I...did it..._she thought. She started shaking, and leaned back against the tree behind her, slipping to the ground. "I...did it..." she muttered, shivering. Then she laughed, and repeated it, louder this time, "I did it."

She burst into laughter; huge, hearty guffaws that pierced through the icy night air like knives. Eventually her laughs died down into small chuckles, and then disappeared completely, leaving Ria shivering on the ground. Throughout the whole time, she was still clinging to the bloodied sword.

It was about two hours later that the guards found Ria, shivering from a mix of shock and cold, clutching the sword tightly in both hands. Lear was with them; he had insisted upon coming, and they couldn't deny their prince.

Lear kneeled down in front of his sister and placed his hands over her's. "Ria, you're freezing," he murmured to her, gently prying the bloodied weapon from her grip. He took her hands and rubbed them in his, trying to warm her up. Ria didn't say a word, still shaking. Lear reached a hand up and brushed away a stray bit of Ria's hair that had escaped its ponytail. "Come on sis, let's go home. I'm really sleepy, aren't you?"

Ria slowly nodded, clinging tightly to Lear's hand. Lear smiled softly, "Alright. Can you stand? Are you hurt?" Ria shook her head and shakily pulled herself onto trembling legs. Lear chuckled, squeezing her hand and standing with her. "I'm glad you're okay. Let's go home, okay?" he said. His sister nodded, and yawned, rubbing her eyes with the hand that wasn't entwined in Lear's grip.

They left the woods, leaving behind the dead bear and the body of the apprentice guard, the other guards escorting them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hola again people! Another chapter of me and AliceUnderSkies13's collab, Fated Mirror!**

**In this chapter, you'll meet:**

**Ria Verrucae (Kagamine Rin)**  
**Lear Verrucae (Kagamine Len)**  
**Migina Ansell (Hatsune Miku)**  
**Luella Veronsei (Megurine Luka)**

**Also, in this chapter, you'll hear mention of something called a codpiece. A codpiece was something worn in the 15th to 16th century, and was a flap over men's tight fitting breeches or a strapped on accessory. Either way, it was meant to accent their penis, and was usually highly decorated in precious metals and gems. **

* * *

A beautifully lit ballroom, packed with men and women all dressed in extravagant, yet lovely dresses and tuxedos. A small orchestra played a fast paced classical piece, to which pairs twirled about the dance floor.

Gazing upon it all from a hidden balcony, were Ria and Lear. Ria, now thirteen, was taller and had grown her hair longer, so it reached to the small of her back while in its usual ponytail. She looked grouchy, having been forced to wear a dark blue dress loaded with frills and lace.

"Seriously Lear, this is stupid. We're not even allowed to go down and be part of our own birthday ball, and yet Nanny still forced me into this stupid, girly, lacy abomination!" she complained, fingering a particularly itchy frill.

Lear chuckled at his twin. He had grown a bit taller as well, though his hair was still just long enough to put into a small ponytail, as it was now. He had escaped the nanny's wrath with a dark blue tux with shorts. He had loosened the tie as he leaned over the balcony, observing his sister.

"Well, Ria, it's an important announcement tonight as well. We are getting to go join them, just not for a little while," he said, his gaze drifting down to the dancefloor. He watched the dancing couples, following them as they drifted across the marble floor. Long dresses moved like flower petals in a cool breeze, billowing and swaying as the music rose and fell. Men, their shoes polished and their eyes gleaming, held fast to the small waists of their women. Perfect form, perfect rhythm, perfect clothes worn by perfect people, Lear felt like he was watching a group of Grecian statues dance.

With a sigh, he laid his head on the railing, his golden locks falling in front of his eyes. "It all looks so amazing..." he breathed. He turned to his sister. "Ria, won't it be so much fun? Just a little while longer and then we'll get to go down there and talk and mingle and dance."

"Fun?" Ria spat, ripping a piece of lace off her dress collar. "There, that's better! Stupid lace, my neck was so itchy!" She angrily crushed the material in her fist and threw it to the ground. "Anyways, this ball will not be fun. It's full of snobby, boring people who never have fun. And why would you want to dance?"

Lear felt his cheeks burn. "Uh, no reason."

A mischievous smile spread across Ria's face. "Oh, I know why. You want to ask the cook's daughter to dance! I see you looking at her whenever we go to the kitchen. Her name's Luella, right?" When her brother didn't reply, she started laughing, stamping her foot on the smooth, wooden floor. "Lear, she's four years older than us!"

"I know that," he muttered. "Stop laughing, sis."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" Ria said, her chest still heaving with hysteria. She punched Lear playfully in the arm. "Come on, don't get all embarrassed! You can't ask Luella to dance if you're busy moping." She smiled warmly at her brother. "And I think you should ask her. You have all that charm and friendliness, all those leader-like qualities I'll never have. People love you, Lear, and I'm sure she'll say yes."

Lear smiled just as the orchestra finished their song. The guests stopped dancing and applauded, their pure white gloves bright beneath the golden chandeliers. The clock chimed, and the ballroom suddenly went silent.

"They're waiting for us," Lear said, straightening up. He grabbed Ria's hand. "Shall we?"

"Do we have any other choice?" Ria asked sarcastically. She grinned and smoothed her hair. "Might as well put on a good show. Let's go, Prince Verrucae."

Lear smirked and held out his arm for his sister to take, "Yes, indeed, Princess Verrucae."

Ria rolled her eyes and gave her brother a playful shove before taking his arm, "Let's get this over with!"

Together they made their way down from their balcony, and waiting at the door to the ballroom was Migina. She curtsied to them, smiling softly. "Hello, your Majesties. You look lovely this evening."

Migina had gone for a more formal appearance tonight. Her dress was a light teal blue that matched her long hair, pulled into pigtails. It had a high collar and full skirts, making the fourteen year old's developing figure flourish. She had discarded the bandages covering her useless eye tonight, instead going for a pure white eyepatch that wrapped around her head with four strings. The ends of the scar could just be seen coming from beneath it.

Ria grinned and broke away from Lear to give Migina a quick hug, "You look as beautiful as always, Migina!"

Migina smiled a soft smile and returned Ria's embrace. "Thank you, Princess," she muttered, "But I'm not nearly as lovely as you are tonight. Happy birthday."

Ria rolled her eyes, "Migina, you're pretty, so you should shut up and admit it."

Lear smirked at his sister's coarseness. Her way of speaking was harsh at times, but she meant well, usually. Lear gently touched Migina's arm. "What Ria is trying to say is that you are a beautiful girl, and you should be proud of what you see when you look in the mirror. Don't put yourself down, it's unbecoming of a young lady. Have confidence." He smiled at his shy servant and softly kissed her hand. It was nothing more than a kind and gentlemanly gesture in his eyes, but Migina still blushed and turned quickly away.

"Your Majesty, I-I don't know what to say." She self-consciously adjusted her eyepatch and turned her back to Ria and Lear. "Uh, the guests are waiting, maybe we should go inside?"

"Sure, the faster we get in there the sooner we'll get to leave," Ria said. She looked at her brother, a devilish gleam in her eye. "And the sooner Lear will get to dance with Luella!"

Lear tried to keep a straight face, but he couldn't help but smile. "Please, try to be mature, sis. It's just one dance and she might not even say yes."

"Humble as ever," Ria said, rolling her eyes. "Migina, let's go. The anticipation is killing me!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Migina muttered. She knocked twice on the great double doors, signaling the two servants on the other side to open was a moment of silence, the three of them standing in the darkened hallway. The doors slid open, shafts of golden light spilling onto the floor. Glittering crystal chandeliers, bouquets of blood-red roses, beautiful people all dressed like royalty, and the hundreds of eyes all trained on the Prince and Princess.

Ria and Lear stood for a few seconds, blue eyes shining, blonde locks like threads of gold. They looked perfect in their deep blue outfits, just like the royal heirs they were. The seconds passed, and then they took a step forward.

"Now presenting, their Royal Highnesses, Prince Lear and Princess Ria!"

Applause erupted, trumpets blared. The twins walked out into the ballroom, bowing politely. Migina stood in the shadow of the hallway, still behind the door. She would not go out until the applause had died down and the guests were no longer looking. She watched Ria and Lear, her face expressionless. "Luella..." she mumbled. "Of course...he'd never want to dance with me."

* * *

The stars grew brighter and the night grew darker as the hours passed. Guests continued to mingle and dance, pausing every now and then to stifle a yawn. Casks of indigo wine were almost empty, drained glasses clinked as purple-mouthed men toasted over and over again. Blushing girls, their faces hidden by ornate fans, giggled shyly as young men whispered in their ears. Ria was one such girl, except she was not blushing and she was definitely not giggling. Some pompous doofus twice her age was trying to seduce her, and failing miserably. He was dressed in a ridiculous suit complete with oversized frills and a codpiece that Ria couldn't help but look at. For crying out loud, it was at least a foot long, made of solid gold, and outfitted with several precious gems. Ria found it disturbing, and had no clue how anybody could find those things attractive. She thanked whatever God was up there that Lear didn't have interest in ever wearing those, or else she would be forced to run herself through with her own sword.

"I'm sorry, but can you leave?" Ria blurted out.

The man stopped in mid sentence, his slacked jaw making him look rather stupid. "Your Majesty, I don't understand. Have I offended you?"

"To say the least," Ria said with a sarcastic grin. "Honestly, you're kind of a creep and I'm not interested. I'm going to get a drink and I highly suggest that you do not follow me." She fell into a mocking curtsey. "Have a wonderful night, sir. And by the way, by the size of that codpiece, I can tell you're compensating. Enjoy the party." Rolling her eyes, she turned around and left the man standing there, alone and utterly speechless.

Ria walked towards the magnificent table filled with all kinds of food and refreshments. Meats, cheeses, aromatic bread slathered in butter, exotic fruits from far-off places, and tall glasses filled with sweet-smelling drinks. Ria picked out an orange from the massive, golden cornucopia and started to peel it. She tore angrily at the skin, throwing each piece to the ground. Her blue satin heels, which she despised wearing, crushed the shreds beneath their soles.

"Uh, Ria, are you ok?"

Looking through her peripherals, Ria could see Lear standing beside her. She hadn't even heard him walk up. "Oh, it's just you. Yeah, I'm fine, just angry."

"I can tell, you're mutilating that poor orange," Lear said with a laugh.

"Wipe that stupid little smirk off your face before I slap it off," Ria said, flicking an orange peel at her brother. She couldn't help but laugh when it got stuck in his hair.

"Honestly, sis, people are staring." Lear pulled the orange peel out and let it fall to the floor. He leaned back against the table, blonde tresses falling in front of his eyes. "Now I think I can guess why you're angry. I saw that awful man talking to you, what is he again, a Duke?"  
"I don't care what he is, he's disgusting!" Ria exclaimed. "It's taking all of my self-control not to go over there and strangle him with my bare hands!" She unknowingly squeezed the orange in her fist. It popped, all of its pulp and fleshy innards oozing through the cracks in her fingers.

"You're making a mess," Lear said with a sigh. He grabbed a lacy napkin and wrapped it around her hand. "Don't pulverize fruit at our birthday ball, sis. Try to act somewhat ladylike."

"Fine, fine," Ria spat. She dropped the mushy fruit and quickly hid it under the table, behind the long, white tablecloth. "There, no one saw a thing." She looked at Lear with an overdone smile on her face, her eyelashes fluttering dramatically.

"You're insane," Lear said, laughing.

"Like I haven't heard that one before." Ria picked up one of the silver forks off the table and began examining it absentmindedly. "Anyway, what are you doing over here? Too afraid to ask Luella to dance?"

Lear blushed. "Quiet, someone could be listening. And I am not afraid, I'm just waiting for the right moment."

"That's a terrible excuse. Just go and ask her already."

"Ria, I can't. I mean, look at her." He gestured to his left, to where a girl was standing all alone.

Luella's beauty was breathtaking. She was tall, with pale skin and a curvy body. Soft, pink curls cascaded down her back and framed her heart-shaped face. Large blue eyes, warm and inviting, were set above her high cheekbones. A slender nose, full lips, and an expression full of kindness and grace. Her tight-fitting corset was a simple shade of black, she was just a cook's daughter after all, but it fit her perfectly. The bottom of her dress was cut at angle, exposing her thighs, the gossamer train trailing on the floor.

She suddenly turned her head, and Lear quickly looked away. "See, she's beautiful," he said quietly to Ria. "I could never ask her."

"I swear, if you don't ask her right now I will jump up on this table, hold the cornucopia over my head and start dancing like a monkey."

"Ria, wait-"

"Here I go!" She hiked up her dress and put one foot on the table, but Lear grabbed her arm.

"Fine, I'll do it," he grumbled. "I don't want my sister acting like a monkey in public!" He straightened his coat and walked towards Luella. Ria burst out laughing. Her mirth soon vanished and was replaced by true respect for her brother. She watched as he bowed and kissed Luella's hand. They talked for a while, Luella laughed, and then she took Lear's arm and they drifted out onto the dancefloor. They spun and twirled, Luella's skirt fluttering like a butterfly's wing. Blue eyes were locked together as the sea is forever embracing the sky, and their bodies moved as one.

Ria was impressed. A group was beginning to gather around the dancing couple. People were craning their necks to see the Prince and the unknown girl. _Wonder what would happen if they knew she was the cook's daughter, _Ria though cynically. She watched them from the table, a proud smile on her face.

Migina watched from behind the heavy, golden drapes that covered the floor-to-ceiling windows. She had gone there to hide from the other servant girls. They had seen her dress and chased her in a jealous rage, threatening to tear it off her body. She watched Lear and Luella, her face blank, her eyes cold. Tears pricked at her eyelashes, but she never let them fall.

She kept them in for the rest of the ball, until the music faded and it was time to give the Prince and Princess their gifts. Lear and Ria sat in high, golden chairs, atop a platform that overlooked the guests. Luella returned to her place amongst the other palace staff that were lucky enough to have been invited to the ball. She was alone; her father was in the kitchen, slaving over a burning hot stove.

A member of Parliament stood at the foot of the royal platform and read aloud from a very long and very boring list of gifts. "A golden butterfly brooch for Princess Ria, a custom-made walking stick for Prince Lear..."

"This is so boring," Ria whispered. Lear shot her a stern look.

"And, finally, for Prince Lear," the man said, "a rapier forged by the palace blacksmiths. It is made of tempered steel, and has an iron cross-piece, handguard, and pommel. The blade is thick and razor-sharp, and a treble-clef is carved into the pommel. It is a gift for you, future warrior, as you embark on your military career this summer."

The crowd applauded and marvelled at the shining weapon. Ria and Lear's faces were both blank. "This summer..." Ria said softly. "But you're not supposed to leave until next year,when you're fourteen!"

"Be quiet," Lear snapped. "I'm just as shocked as you, but we can't do this here. Wait until after the ball."

They sat in agitated silence, and the crowd continued to clap.

* * *

"Sir, I don't understand. I don't leave until next year. The law says that anyone who wishes to enlist in the military must be fourteen!" Lear said, slamming his hands on the desk. The ball had ended hours ago, and Lear and Ria were busy arguing with the head of Parliament, refusing to accept his proposal: that Lear join the military in four months, and that Ria ascend the throne as soon as possible.

"You do not need to be fourteen," the man said. "Rules can be changed for the sake of royalty."

"But that was not our agreement," Lear said. "You told us when we were children that we would accept our royal duties at the age of fourteen."

"That's right!" Ria shouted. "Besides, I don't even want to be queen and Lear would make a lousy soldier! It's not fair and it's not right!"

"Look, sir," Lear started, "despite my sister's lack of tact, she's right. It isn't right. Why must you force us to do this a year early?"

The head of Parliament sighed. "With all due respect, Your Majesties, your fate is not for you to decide. It has never been. With your parents deceased, this kingdom has been ruled by a collection of parliamentary governors for thirteen years. Enough is enough, Ria is of age. We need a real ruler. Princess Ria, we need a queen. And a queen needs a protector, Prince Lear. She needs a man to lead her armies and hold high the banner of Verrucae. This kingdom needs the both of you, now."

Ria and Lear were silent. For once, Ria had no sarcastic remark to say, and Lear's persuasive tongue was still. The head of Parliament nodded and stood up, walking out of the room without another word.

The twins stood for a while in total silence. The magic and thrill of the ball had evaporated, leaving behind a sour taste like spoiled oranges and salty, unfallen tears. After what felt like an eternity, Ria took Lear's hand.

"It'll be ok, brother," she whispered, "I know what we must do."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three, like a bawse.**

**Things are getting good...**

**In this chapter:**  
**Ria Verrucae (Kagamine Rin)**  
**Lear Verrucae (Kagamine Len)**

* * *

Lear looked over to his sister, confused. "Sis, what are we supposed to do?" he asked. "You heard him. We don't have a say in the matter."

Ria didn't seem to had heard him. Her gaze was locked on the floor, and she was mouthing words to herself. Lear knew for a fact Ria only muttered to herself for one of three reasons. One, she was having a particularly hard time with a lesson. Two, she was resisting the urge to murder somebody. Or three, she was planning something. Considering the situation, Lear guessed it was the third option.

"There's only one thing I can think of..." Ria muttered.

"And that is?" Lear inquired. You could say a great many things about Ria, but she had one of those minds built for strategy, and more often than not, her plans were foolproof.

"I'll run away," Ria said bluntly, looking up at Lear.

Lear's eyes widened. "What the hell? What do you mean, 'You'll run away'?!"

"I run away. Run away so they can't find me. When they don't have a princess to put on the throne, they'll name you king instead," Ria explained, still looking at her feet.

Lear scoffed, "And how do you know they won't find you!?"

Ria shrugged, "We have four months. I'll figure something out."

"Ria," Lear started, grabbing his sister's shoulders. "Four months is nothing. Time will slip by and before we know it, I'll be heading off to training and you'll be standing here, still trying to 'figure something out'. We don't have time for your childish plans! This isn't like facing a bear, this problem isn't tangible, and it can't be killed with a sword. It's political, and we can't win."

"Geez, you just don't know when to shut up," Ria spat, pushing his hands away. "You talk too much. Problems aren't solved by talking them to death, you have to face them head on. Now do you wanna hear my plan or not?"

"I thought you were just going to wing it and 'figure something out'."

"Well I just thought of something, so shut your face and listen." She took a deep breath and looked Lear in the eye, her face suddenly very serious. "It isn't very hard to sneak out of the palace, especially at night. Animals roam the woods, it's a dangerous place. You remember the bear, obviously. That night, I could have died, and then you would definitely have been made king."

"That may be true, but last time I checked, you're still alive," Lear said sarcastically. "And unless you plan on going back in time and changing history, there's nothing we can do about that. Besides, I don't want you to die." He looked away, his eyes cast down at the floor. "I would be devastated."

"I would never kill myself, don't be stupid," Ria said, punching him in the arm. "But what if I pretended to die? I run away, my blood-stained coat is left behind in the forest, my body supposedly devoured by a hungry bear."

"That's disgusting and morbid," Len growled.

"But I guarantee it will work. It's a perfect story, 'Princess Ria gets mauled by a bear while she is out galavanting through the forest,' it's foolproof!"

"Galavanting?" Lear said with a smile. "As ridiculous as this sounds, it might actually work. But after you run away, where would you go?"

Ria grinned devilishly. "That's where it gets good. You are better suited to rule than I am, and I am better suited to be a soldier. So, I'll join the military under the guise of a man, and finally get to do what I want."

Lear glared at her, his expression unreadable. "You're out of your mind, Ria."

"No, I'm a genius."

"Listen to yourself! Go into the military, really? First of all, women can't enlist; it's illegal. Secondly, you could die!"

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't fight," Ria said indignantly. "I'm the one who killed the bear, remember? And I'm the one who beat up any kid who called you a weakling. I know how to take care of myself."

"You may be able to survive combat, but you can't fool the military. They'll discover your true identity."

"Please, I have absolutely no figure and I'm flat-chested, I can easily pass for a boy!" Ria said, brushing Lear off.

Lear growled, "May I point out that you haven't hit puberty yet, and possibly will in the next few months or years or whatever, and how in the hell are you going to hide that from the military?"

"Obviously, if I ever manage to grow boobs or something, I can figure out a way to hide them. Padded clothing or bandages around my chest should work just fine. And my hitting puberty is none of your business!"

Lear rolled his cerulean eyes, "Whatever, that isn't the issue we're discussing. Ria, your plan is crazy!"

"And isn't it my craziest plans that usually work best?" Ria asked, giving Lear a questioning look.

Lear remained silent, his gaze glued to the shiny leather of his black boots. He hated when Ria was right. Ria smirked, "It's the best shot we got, and besides...Lear, if you were sent into the military...you'd surely die...I couldn't live with myself if that happened..." She stepped forward and placed a hand on her brother's shoulder, "I want you to stay safe."

Lear sighed, "That's exactly why I don't want you to go. I want you to stay safe. Ria, the military won't care who you are, if they discover you're a girl, they'll execute you."

Ria gave him a familiar devious smile, "So the solution is to not get caught. It'll be alright Lear, don't you worry."

Lear sighed; Ria wasn't going to be swayed. "Fine. When are you going to leave?"

Ria stopped to think for a moment before shrugging, "Well, as the saying says, never put off until tomorrow what can be done today! It'll be plausible anyways. They know we're not happy, and they know it's my habit to go in the woods when I'm upset. We'll do it later tonight."

Lear's eyes widened; tonight? He would only have a few hours more with his sister? He swallowed down his protests, "All...alright..."

Ria noticed her brother's mix of shock and sadness. "Hey," she told him, giving him a hug, "It'll be okay. We'll be okay. I promise." Lear didn't answer, just returning the hug with a sullen look.

Ria shook her head, "I'll leave at three a.m. It's eleven now. Let's just spend some time together before I go. It's our birthday after all!"

Lear forced a smile, "Heh, right. Let's do that."

* * *

Ria and Lear walked hand in hand throughout the palace, saying nothing and staring at the magnificent mansion that was their home. Ria looked askance at the fluttering drapes and gaping windows. She could see the stars, all the angular constellations glowing against the black sky. She remembered standing in front of the windows, her chin resting on the pane as she stared up at the sky. Back then, her eyes had widened at the sight of a shooting star sliding towards the horizon. Now, the stars held no comfort. In a few hours, she would disappear and never see the beautiful palace again; she would never see Lear again.

"Don't think like that," she muttered, shaking her head. "I'll see him...someday."

"What's wrong, Ria?" Lear asked. "You look like you're about to cry."

"Oh please." She rolled her eyes. "You're the cry-baby brother, remember? I am NOT crying."

Lear giggled softly. "Whatever. But if you're going to miss the palace, it's okay to say so."

"Yeah, right. This place is like a cage. I've always been stuffed into frilly dresses and forced to act like a mute dress-up doll with the personality of a brick! I'll be happy to leave this place, and finally get to do what I want."

Lear was silent for a few seconds, then he burst out laughing.

"What?!"

"You're so overdramatic," he said, pulling his sister into a hug. They stood in the corridor, gripping each other's hands and laughing until tears came to their eyes.

Crystal chandeliers, crushed velvet drapes, and clear moonlight that spilled across the floor, a sad and silent scene interrupted by Lear's sudden sobs.

Ria looked at her brother with the barest trace of a smirk. "See? Told you you're the crybaby twin."

Lear sniffed and wiped away his steadily coming tears. "I just...don't want you to go...I'll miss you."

Ria looked into her brother's eyes. That amazing blue that was a mix of the sky and sapphires would always and forever be her favorite color. That color meant home, it meant rowing in the lake on a sunny afternoon, it meant running through the palace halls dragging her brother behind her. That color was Lear, pure and beautiful. Something she would never be, that she never had a hope of being. But it was okay, because as long as Lear was alive and safe the world would remain bearable, no matter what. Ria pulled her brother close, allowed a few crystalline tears to fall as she buried her face into his shoulder. This may be the last time she had the honor of having those amazing eyes all to herself, and she didn't want to waste it. "Lear..." she murmured.

Her brother simply smiled and rubbed her back. He knew he was the only one that Ria showed this more vulnerable side, that this may be the last time she allowed anybody to see her cry. He let her stay there for a while, quietly sobbing into his coat.

"Hey sis, I just remembered something..." he whispered, as if scared to break the silence of this moment.

Ria made a small 'hm' sound, to show she was listening. Lear smiled again and reached into his coat pocket. "Stand up straight and close your eyes."

Ria did as she was told, allowing her eyelids to slide closed as her spine straightened. She noted a rustle of fabric and felt Lear's gentle fingers messing with her hair. "Okay, open them," her brother's soft voice commanded.

Ria opened her eyes to find herself suddenly staring into her own reflection. Lear was holding a small compact mirror in his hand, aiming it up so she could see. Carefully arranged into a bow on top of her wavy golden locks was a ribbon, black as onyx with a single silver lily stitched into one end. "Happy birthday, Ria."

Ria's fingers carefully brushed the fabric, almost as if she was afraid touching it would make it and its ethereal beauty fade away. It was so simple, so plain, the lily was stitched in with clumsy fingers and the ribbon's edges were ragged and unhemmed, but it was the most beautiful thing she had ever received. Maybe it was because her gifts were usually over-extravagant and too much, or because it had been crafted by Lear's kind hands, she really didn't know. All she knew was that it made her burst into tears, and grab her brother again.

"You...idiot...you made me cry on purpose..." she choked, clutching him to her chest even tighter than before. Lear chuckled and hugged her just as tightly, breathing in her permanent scent of citrus and orange blossoms.

Ria indulged in her brother's embrace for a few moments longer before breaking away. "Lear, I have to go now. Or else I won't be able to later," she told him, taking one last look at those eyes of his that she loved. Lear sighed sadly, but nodded.

The twins once again took each other's hands and started towards the back door of the palace, their usual place of escaping the magnificent building. The air between them was as somber as that of a funeral march, and in some ways, this was indeed one. This was the death of the happy days of their childhood, and the birth of their future.

Finally they reached the servants' exit, and Ria grabbed her coat from its hook next to the stout wooden door.

"Well, this is goodbye," Ria said, looking at her shoes.

Lear nodded, afraid to speak as he took in one final look of his dearest twin sister, preparing for their parting. Ria nodded herself and opened the door, stepping outside. She looked behind her only once, to say "You'll be a great king. I know it."

With that, the door shut. Ria started out on her journey into the world, leaving a speechless Lear staring at the space his sister had moments ago occupied.

"Goodbye...Ria..."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: War, violence, and a sexy Gakupo with one arm, enough said.**

**New in this chapter: Gaegan Kamon (Kamui Gakupo)**

* * *

The body of one soldier toppled over the corpse of another, coming to a rest at Ria's feet. She tore her eyes away from its shattered head, positioning her gun atop the concrete that formed a barrier between her and the enemy. She fired. She felt the rounds vibrating in her bones, like so many demons forcing their way out of the gates of hell. They poured out across the battlefield, striking the nameless enemies and forcing them to the ground. The recoil of the gun made Ria back down once or twice, but she kept herself rooted to the ground, her teeth gritted and her blue eyes flaming.

Inside, she was trembling. Every bone, organ, and nerve was quaking in fear, but Ria held her composure. After all, she was a soldier, First Lieutenant Reon Demari, to be exact. And Reon was never afraid, he was stoic and determined, respected by the other men.

_And I'm a man, now,_ Ria thought. _So man-up, Ria! Fight!_

She poked her up over the wall, seeing nothing but smoke, fire, and rivers of blood. Someone suddenly shouted, "Cannons!" and Ria saw a projectile go flying over. She fell onto her stomach, covering her head with both hands. The cannon ball landed some twenty feet away, ripping apart another soldier's limbs and tossing them over the concrete wall. All essence of terrifying reverberation was muffled within Ria's mind, her fingers clasping her ears. Calloused and cut palms, dirty fingernails dug deep into her hair, it all reminded her of a hand that had once tousled her blonde locks and held her trembling hands.

_Lear, I wish you were here to hold my hand._

There was no response, only the sounds of cannon fire and shrieking soldiers. Another body fell beside her. Another one fallen, soon she would be the only one left. Ria sighed and leaned against the wall. Something about sitting there, her armor soaked through with blood, and the fading echoes of cannons in the background, it was kind of peaceful.

_Wow, I'm losing it._ Ria laughed softly and ran her hands down her face. She found teardrops on her palms, and sat for a while, staring at them as more streamed down her face.

She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, but what was really only about two minutes. Her surroundings snatched her back to reality, as another cannon fire echoed in her eardrums. Ria threw herself to the ground again, shutting her oceanic eyes as a fellow soldier met his maker in a flurry of blood, bone, and screams.

_If I had known this was how it was going to be, I would have taken the crown without a second thought._ It was a blatant lie, but the thought comforted her. She still would've made the same decisions, so Lear, pure and innocent, would never ever have to suffer this insanity. It would have broken him and his gentle soul.

_Just stop thinking about Lear, focus on the battle or you're gonna die, Ria._ She took a deep breath and raised her head above the wall. A bullet rammed into her helmet, smacking the bulletproof metal. She saw it through her protective goggles, spinning and trembling like a ballerina executing some terrorizing dance. It cracked her helmet and then ricocheted off into the air. The force of the impact threw Ria back onto the ground. Her head slapped the earth, ears ringing. Her vision swam, the screams of the soldier becoming distant echoes.

A sudden moan brought her back to reality. Turning her head, Ria saw a man staggering towards her. The bullet that had ricocheted off her helmet had struck the man in the neck. Blood gushed from the open wound and spilled out onto the dirt. His head was lagging to one side, thin tendrils of muscle fibers holding it atop his punctured neck. Ria could see his vocal chords, torn pieces of his windpipe. Her eyes widened as her entire body began to shake. She couldn't stop staring, couldn't tear her eyes away from the grotesque sight.

All of a sudden, she remembered the guard back in the forest, the one that had charged the bear that day. It all felt so long ago. His young face, determined and naive, and then his screams as the bear attacked. Had he looked like this soldier? Had he suffered and bled out, no longer able to speak or breathe? Ria had never thought about that guard, but now he suddenly seemed so relevant. Every bullet flying past her head was a bear ready to take her life, and every lifeless body was that guard, doomed to be forgotten.

_Am I going to end up like the guard? Broken and with no thanks? With nobody remembering me?_ Ria shook her head. She didn't want that to happen. She couldn't die anyways. She had promised herself that she would see Lear at least one more time before she died.

As Ria was lost within these thoughts, the soldier with the neck wound staggered closer. Ria didn't even realize until it was too late when he picked her up by the front of her armor. The man forced her to look at him. "Your fault..." he wheezed, the sound not coming from his mouth, but from the sickening hole in his neck. Ria felt like vomiting as she saw the white strips that were his vocal cords shaking and vibrating to produce the soft sound.

"Stupid kid..." the man's throat whispered, "Damned bullet...came from you...You shot me..." He let out a guttural growl, his eyes showing the danger of a crazed man in pain. He shook her until her brains felt like a bowl of pudding, her helmet falling to the ground, revealing her short blonde hair tucked into a ponytail like Lear wore his. "Respect...your elders...You don't...Gotta...punish..."

The man dropped a disoriented Ria to the ground, causing a grunt of pain from her. He pulled a knife from his belt and kneeled down. "Teach...lesson..."

Suddenly Ria had a knife blade stuck in between her ribs. Seconds later, a bullet tore its way through the man's skull in a flurry of bright red blood, dull gray brain matter, and snowy white bone. He fell to the ground beside Ria, dead.

Ria blinked, staring down at the wound. The blood was rapidly staining her black armor red with her life fluid. _Funny...it's kind of pretty. Such a bright shade, flowing like a river..._ Ria slowly moved her hand until it was touching the edge of the wound. She lifted her fingers, amazed at the scarlet liquid.

She was starting to feel rather floaty, as if she'd been sitting upside down too long or soaking in a warm bath. _I wonder if I've lost too much or something...This feels nice though..._ It was true. Ria hadn't felt so relaxed and calm in years. Not since before she had left the palace. She was starting to feel kind of sleepy too...

_I don't think that a nap would hurt...Just a quick one...Just gotta...rest my eyes..._

And slowly the world faded into black.

* * *

"Are you goin' to Scarborough Fair...?"

A soft, deep voice swam into Ria's mind, its sweet tune breaking through mists of white.

"Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme..."

She knew that song. All children in the kingdom learned it as little children, dancing around in circles with linked hands as they sang.

"Remember me to one who lives there..."

Lear had sounded so pretty when he sang it. He had such a lovely voice, one she described as oranges and sunshine. The best things in the world, rolled into one sound.

"She was once a true love of mine..."

Why was somebody singing on a battlefield anyways? She had seen people do strange things, but usually if they did sing, it was panicked and more than a little insane. And it certainly wasn't a child's song. She was feeling oddly comfortable too. Warm, and laying on something rather soft.

She opened her eyes.

Instantly soft yellow light clouded her vision, and she had to blink a few times before her sight adjusted. She was staring up at a white ceiling, in a small room lit by a few lamps scattered about. A window next to her showed the darkening sky and the stars twinkling brightly to the world below.

"Tell her to make me a cambric shirt..."

Ria turned slightly, wincing at the sharp pain she felt in her side at moving. It was the same voice she'd heard before. Its source was a man, his back turned to her as he did something or other.

Long purple hair was pulled into a braid, reaching to his waist, and his left sleeve was pinned up, no arm residing within it. As if he could feel her stare, he turned and met her eyes. His irises were the same color as amethysts, Ria noticed.

He held her gaze for a few moments before his features slipped into a kind smile. "Hello there, I'm glad you've woken up." He crossed the room and sat down on the end of the bed in which Ria lay. "How are you feeling?"

Ria cleared her throat and spoke in her deep voice, Reon's voice. "Alright, I guess. Where exactly am I?"

The man chuckled a bit. "I'm afraid I know your secret, that you're a girl. No need to use a fake voice, dear. As for where you are, you're in an inn. We found you half dead on a nearby battlefield. My name is Gaegan, by the way. Gaegan Kamon."

Ria blinked. He knew? Well, he did save her after psycho soldier stabbed her, so it wasn't hard to believe, but he wasn't seeming to want to execute or arrest or punish her in any way. "Um...we?"

"Myself, my brother, and a girl who travels with us."

Ria nodded. "Oh, okay."

"So, may I know your name?" Gaegan asked, tilting his head slightly.

_Ria, years of princess manners training have done you no good. Idiot._

Ria cleared her throat. "It's Ria. Ria Demari." Might as well keep using the fake last name. Everybody knew Verrucae was the name of all in the royal bloodline.

"Demari...what an unusual last name. Where are you from?"

"Oh, uh..." Ria nervously ran her hand through her hair. "I'm from nowhere really. You know, the battlefield is my home."

Gaegan laughed softly. "I should have figured that much. Why else would a pretty little thing like yourself want to fight in the military? You must really love fighting, dear. Or maybe it's something completely different. Either way, it's none of my business. My brother and I are wanderers too."

"You don't have a home, either?"  
He shook his head. "No, it was burned down, our entire village."

"That's awful," Ria said quietly.

"Yes, but that's in the past. We are alive right now, you and me, and that's what matters." He smiled at Ria. His face was kind and fatherly, a wise old man without the wrinkles of age.

"Well, thanks for saving my life." Ria looked away, somewhat embarrassed. She did not enjoy being treated like a child, and that's exactly what she felt like, a bratty kid that had to get their butt saved by a total stranger.

"You're welcome, dear," Gaegan said.

_Geez, I wish he'd stop calling me dear_, Ria thought, trying not to roll her eyes.

A voice suddenly shouted, "Hey, Gaegan, where are you? I have to show you something!"

"That would be my brother," he said with a sly smile. "We can talk more later. I'll let you rest a bit. When you feel up to it, dinner is almost ready. The cook here is simply splendid." Before finally closing the door, he said, "Rest well," and then he was gone.

"Rest well," Ria repeated. "Yeah, I'll rest with one eye open. I still don't completely trust this guy, he's too nice!" She let herself fall back against the pillow, wincing as her back hit the headboard. "Ow...that was stupid."

She was still pretty tired, a good rest didn't sound too bad. Gaegan seemed suspicious, at least in Ria's mind, but he had saved her after all. A little sleep wouldn't kill her, and hopefully neither would Gaegan and his friends.

Yes, sleep, just for a little while longer.

This time, she awoke as her head hit the wooden floor. When she opened her eyes, a little girl was peering over the side of the bed, her head cocked to one side.

"Did you fall off?" she asked childishly.

"Obviously," Ria said. She felt the back of her head and sat up. "Who are you and have you been next to me the whole time?"

The girl blushed when she said this and moved her head back so Ria could only see her eyes. With those deep chocolate eyes and long eyelashes, she looked like a deer staring down the barrel of a rifle. "Uh yeah, you just looked so lonely in here so I snuggled up right next to you! I just thought I'd, um, keep you company, you know?" Her voice was muffled against the blankets.

But Ria didn't notice or care that the girl was embarrassed, she certainly wasn't. She was rather annoyed, actually. She had been sleeping peacefully and now this little girl, no matter how adorable she was, had probably given Ria a concussion.

The brown eyed girl shrunk back into the bed when Ria stood up, melting into the sheet and blanket. It took her a few minutes to realize that she was the only one who felt awkward, but once she did, she returned to her normal, overly happy self and hopped off the bed.

"We're gonna miss dinner!" she gasped. They both left the room, the little girl dragging Ria by the wrist.

_And I didn't even get her name_, Ria thought, shaking her head as the nameless girl pulled her down the hall. _Seriously, Ria, it's like all of your manners went out the window the second you put on the uniform._

As they were heading down the stairs, Ria was about to introduce herself, but then the little girl's jacket flew open, and she saw a gun holster swung across the child's slight body. A shining, silver gun could be seen, and then the jacket flapped shut and the girl turned to Ria, beaming.

"Yay for dinner!" she exclaimed. "Yummy, yummy dinner! I hope there's apples!"

Ria smiled nervously. "Uh, me too," she said.

Inside, her thoughts were running wild, speculating as to what these people were. Bandits, enemy spies, weird cult members who wanted to use her in one of their rituals!

_What is going on? Who are these people?_


	5. Chapter 5

The little girl grinned up at Ria, revealing one of her two front teeth to be missing. "Come on! Let's eat supper! And you can meet my family!"

_What kind of 'family' lets a little kid have a freaking pistol?_ Ria thought, shaking her head. "Alright. What's your name, anyways?"

"Oh! It's Yuliana Kamon! My big brothers Kaelon and Gaegan let me use their last name, since I don't know mine!" she chirped, smiling from ear to ear. Ria may have been more than a little alarmed, confused, and nervous, but she had to admit, this girl was scarily cute.

Ria cleared her throat, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Yuliana."

"Nice to meet you too, lady! Wait, what's your name?" Yuliana tilted her head, causing her dark hair to fall into her fawnlike eyes.

Ria suppressed an urge to hug her and nodded. "It's Ria Demari."

Yuliana giggled, "Ria's a pretty name! I like it! Well, come on! I'm starving! I haven't eaten in six trillion years and a night!" She grabbed Ria's hand again and pulled her through a door, grinning widely.

The dining room was a lot more normal than Ria expected. Softly lit with warm lamp light, with a round table surrounded by five chairs. Gaegan was sat in one of the chairs, quietly reading a book held in his one hand, a pair of spectacles perched on the end of his nose. Yuliana immediately let go of Ria's hand and ran to Gaegan, squeezing him into a tight hug. "Gaegan! Gaegan! I made a new friend! Her name's Ria, and her name's so pretty and she wants there to be apples at dinner too!" she squealed, smiling up at him.

Gaegan glanced away from the pages and down at Yuliana with a fatherly look. He placed his book down and patted her head, "That's good Yuli. And I don't know if there were any apples in dinner, but Kaelon did make apple pie for dessert." He laughed at Yuliana's excited squeal and looked up to Ria, "So I'm assuming that thump earlier had to do with Yuli here?"

Ria cleared her throat and nodded, "The kid knocked me out of bed. Apparently I looked lonely, so she crawled in next to me and ended up shoving me off." She was still annoyed about her wake up call.

Gaegan chuckled, slipping off his glasses and setting them down. "Sorry about that. Yuliana has an interesting way with people." He glanced down at the girl, who had begun entertaining herself by trying to read his book, stumbling over the big words. "Yuli, why don't you go see if Kaelon has any leftover apple slices he needs help getting rid of?" Yuliana nodded and immediately ran off into what Ria assumed was the kitchen.

Gaegan gestured to the chair nearest to Ria, "Go ahead and sit. You're still recovering, so you shouldn't push yourself."

How was standing pushing herself? Ria sighed and plopped down into the chair, blowing a bit of blonde hair that had fallen into her eyes away. "I've got a question."

Gaegan nodded, "And that would be?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why the hell does that kid have a freaking pistol!? She can't be more than nine, for crying out loud!"

Gaegan eyed Ria for a moment before laughing. Not just a small chuckle either, but real booming laughs that shook his tall frame as his arm wrapped around his stomach. Ria narrowed her eyes at the purple haired man. Who did he think he was, laughing at her?

"Excuse me? Did I say something that amused you?" Ria asked, speaking carefully in an icily neutral tone that she had learned all those years ago in one of her diplomacy lessons. It had been the only thing she was good at in that class, most likely because the voice was meant to intimidate people.

Gaegan held up his hand as he tried to quell his laughter, it eventually dying into the occasional chuckle. "I'm sorry but " he paused to giggle again, "Of all the things you could've asked, like why did we help you or why do I have one arm, you ask about a little girl?"

Ria couldn't suppress a small growl. So what if she'd asked about Yuliana having a gun? It was a valid concern! Gaegan had said he and his brother took care of the little girl, so it could be they are VERY irresponsible caregivers.

Gaegan smiled, "If you must know, she just so happens to be quite the little gunslinger. I've never seen a shot as good as hers. We gave her a set of pistols about a year ago for protection in case anything ever happens, and she refuses to go anywhere without them."

_Well, when you put it that way, a little kid with a gun seems logical. God damnit._ Ria frowned, "Aren't you scared she'll shoot her eye out?"

Gaegan shook his head, "She knows that if she does anything to endanger herself or others with her pistols without good cause they'll be taken away. It's quite a serious threat with her."

Ria sighed and slouched in her seat. If they wanted to give a little girl guns, they could go right ahead._ I guess I'm not one to talk though... I killed a black bear at seven. Wouldn't that be a story to tell?_ She chuckled.

Gaegan gave her a strange look before smiling and stretching. "So, how're you feeling anyways, dear?"

Would he ever stop calling her that? Ria shrugged, "Well, I'm still a little sore, but I feel pretty good, actually. Hey, Gaegan, how long have I been out anyways?"

"Hm well about a week."

A week? She'd been out a whole entire week? She'd been MIA for a whole WEEK!? The General would have her hide; that was for sure. Hell, they probably thought Reon Demari was dead.

"Yo! Bro! Dinner's ready! Yuli, stop begging for apples and go set the table like I told you!" a young, masculine voice suddenly called from the kitchen, pulling Ria from her thoughts. A pouting Yuliana came out of the kitchen with a stack of four plates in her hands, which she quickly placed around the table. After setting down the silverware and glasses as well, she called to the kitchen, "Okay! I'm done! Can I have some apple pie now?"

Gaegan laughed and ruffled Yuliana's hair, "You know that you don't get any desert until after dinner, Yuli, and only if you eat all your food."

Yuliana pouted again, "But I will eat all the apple pie!"

Ria chuckled at the little girl as somebody came out of the kitchen. She looked up to see a boy, only a few years her senior, with slicked back blue hair and bright aquamarine eyes. He was precariously balancing a tureen of stew as well as a basket of rolls. Ria hopped out of her seat and took the rolls from him, setting them down on the table before he could drop them. It was a reflex, really. As a child she and Lear's nanny had a habit of carrying too many things at once and they were constantly having to help her with things. In the army, all the soldiers had helped carry things around; it was a teamwork thing.

The young man nodded his thanks as he set the tureen down next to the basket of rolls. "Thanks, I was about to drop those." Ria shrugged and sat back down, "No big deal."

"So, I'm guessing you're our rule breaking guest? My name's Kaelon, by the way."

Ria narrowed her eyes, "So? It's really none of your business."

Kaelon smirked and leaned down right next to Ria to whisper in her ear in a highly seductive manner, "Oh, but I like myself a bad girl. What rules would you like to break with me?"

Now, what happened next would always and forever be denied as a reflex by Ria. Kaelon's whispered flirting had brought back up the sickening memory of a certain man with a codpiece at a certain birthday ball what seemed like a century ago. She simply carried out on Kaelon what she had always wanted to do to that man. A nice solid punch to the face.

And quite the solid punch it was. Kaelon was launched straight into the dining room table, causing it to topple over and the tureen of burning hot soup to land right on top of his head, spilling its contents all over the boy. The rolls miraculously landed right in Yuliana's lap, still in their basket.

Gaegan and Yuliana looked wide eyed and open mouthed from Ria to Kaelon and back to Ria.

Yuliana burst out laughing at the top of her little lungs, infectious high pitched peals of joy at the sight of her 'big brother' getting beat up by a girl. Gaegan couldn't suppress his own hearty laughter. Even Ria added a few giggles at how funny it looked. Kaelon, however, was seeing soupy stars with short blonde hair.

While everybody laughed at the blue haired boy, nobody noticed the front door open and close, or the footsteps coming through the front hall. They did notice when the visitor said, "Kaelon, you stupid flirt. What did you do this time?"

Everyone turned to see a woman with waist length pink curls and sky colored eyes standing in the doorway, notebook held to her chest as she giggled at Kaelon on the floor. Yuliana jumped up out of her seat, knocking the rolls to the floor as she ran to hug the newcomer. "Miss Luella! It was soooo cool! Kaelon was being a stupid boy again so Ria punched him in the face and the food flew everywhere and it was soooo funny!"

Luella smiled at Yuliana and patted her head, "I'm sure it was. I brought Pistol with me, he's outside. You should go tell him about it. He'll like it."

Yuliana grinned, "Pistol's here?! Yay! I'm gonna go make him tell me another story about the mountains!" With that she ran past Luella and down the hallway, a huge smile plastered on her little face.

"I swear she gets cuter everytime," Luella muttered, watching Yuliana go. She turned to the remaining three and smiled. "So, I'm assuming you're Ria?" she asked, looking to Ria. "It's nice to see you awake. The last time I came over, you were still out."

Ria nodded, "Yep, that's me. Ria Demari. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well. My name's Luella Veronesi."

Ria shook hands with Luella, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. This was the same Luella from her and Lear's birthday ball when they were thirteen! Fortunately, she didn't seem to recognize her. _I guess I look different. With my hair short and all the exercise I got in the military made me more muscular._

Luella gave Ria a friendly smile before turning to Gaegan. "We have plans to discuss, and I think Kaelon would like to be coherent during them."

Gaegan chuckled and nodded, "Yes, you're right. Ria, could you help me lift the table back up, dear?"

Ria nodded, "I got it. Don't worry." After being unconscious for a week, some good old-fashioned physical exertion would be very nice anyways. With little difficulty, she shoved a somewhat unconscious Kaelon out of the way and righted the table, picking up the plates (Which were fortunately plastic) and setting them back up.

"Thank you, Ria," Gaegan said.

Ria shrugged, "No problem. Would you like me to do anything about that?" She pointed to Kaelon.

Gaegan chuckled, "If you could remove the tureen from his head and get me a cup of water from the kitchen real quick, that would be great."

Ria nodded and yanked the tureen off of the blue haired boy's messy head. She licked a bit of broth off of her fingers. _Wow, it's pretty good. I almost feel bad for punching him. Wasted a good meal._

Gaegan sighed, looking at the spilled broth and stack of plates. "Well, I guess we won't be having soup tonight. Luella, get Yuliana and Pistol, we have to talk."

"Will do." Luella stood up and headed towards the door, her pink hair billowing behind her.

Ria watched her go, thinking of Luella, the quiet cook's daughter, the one person you would never suspect of getting into trouble. And now here she was, surrounded by an armless man, his pervert brother, and a gun-toting little girl with a friend named Pistol . Ria smiled to herself, wondering what Lear would think of his former pink-haired, mild-mannered crush.

Kaelon struggled to his feet, wiping broth from his eyes. "Wow, that punch was-"

"Hard? Jaw breaking? Humiliating?" Ria offered, grinning deviously.

"I was gonna say passionate," Kaelon replied, dramatically flipping his hair. "Strong women are sexy." He sat down and patted the chair next to him. "Why don't you sit next to me, Ria?"

Ria just rolled her eyes and placed a cup of water on the table. "You want to get punched again?"

"Let's refrain from violence," Gaegan said with a smile.

"All right," Ria muttered. "Sorry."

"No need for apologies, dear. Now while we wait for the others, why not try some of those delicious rolls?"

They waited patiently at the table, Ria absentmindedly hitting the rock hard roll against the wood, Gaegan quietly sipping water, and Kaelon trying to arrange his broth soaked bangs. Finally, the door opened, and Luella walked in with Yuliana and a stoic looking boy with white hair.

"What kept you guys?" Kaelon asked.

"Well, I was poking Pistol, cause he cheeks are just so cute and pokable, and he stabbed me with one of his arrows!" Yuliana exclaimed, holding up a bloody finger.

"What?!" Ria exclaimed. "That's awful, are you okay?" She pointed at Pistol. "And what's your problem, kid? You can't stab little girls!"

Gaegan and Kaelon started laughing, making Ria blush.

"Relax, my little tiger," Kaelon said. "Those two fight all the time, it's normal."

Ria crossed her arms. "Maybe for you people, but that's weird in my book."

"Oh don't worry," Yuliana chirped. "It's perfectly normal for me and Pistol! We're just so in love. We fight to show our affection." She beamed up at Ria, sucking on her bloody finger. "Mmm, kinda tastes like apples!"

_Okay, this is beyond weird,_ Ria thought. _But I'm just going to keep my mouth shut._

Gaegan called Yuliana over in order to bandage her finger, and Luella sat down at the table. But Pistol did not move an inch, he just stood there, glaring at Ria with a pair of mismatched eyes. Wild white hair hung in his face, and his fur-lined vest and bear tooth necklace suggested that he was not from the city, or any civilized place for that matter.

"I saw you earlier this week," he said to Ria. He turned to Luella. "Who is she?"

"She is right there, you could ask her yourself," she replied.

He stared blankly at Luella. "No thanks. So who is she?"

Luella sighed. "A soldier that Gaegan and Kaelon discovered on a battlefield. Her name is Ria."

Pistol turned back to Ria. "Well Ria, you're pretty girly for a soldier. A woman joining the military, you're either desperate or an idiot, or both. It figures that a girl would get herself clobbered, though." A deep guttural laugh, like a dog's bark, came from his throat and his shoulders shook. Pistol was the type that laughed at his own jokes, and he had more pride than was good for him. "Oh, and my name is Pistol by the way," he added quickly. Another snicker slipped through his teeth.

Ria ignored his obnoxious laugh and glared at him with narrowed eyes. "Why you stupid, pompous little-"

"Ignore him," Luella cut her off, waving her hand dismissively. "He's just a kid with a short complex. And I think it was very brave of you to fight in the military, Ria. You're a true hero in my eyes."

"Uh, thanks," Ria said, taken aback.

Pistol muttered something incomprehensible and slunk to an empty chair. Clearly, Luella had some kind of power over him.

Once he had sat down, and Kaelon had made another perverted remark about Ria's sexiness and Luella's well endowment , Gaegan stood up.

"You all know why I called you here," he started. "This meeting was originally supposed to cover next week's raid, but now something has come up. Or, should I say, someone." He glanced at Ria. "And now our new friend, Ria, must decide."

"Me?" Ria said. "Decide what?"

"Whether or not you value your freedom."

"Huh? What is going on?!"

"Here's what my brother's trying to say," Kaelon said. "Look, sweetheart, you either agree to lead next week's raid or we turn you over to the authorities for impersonating a soldier."

Pistol's voice floated across the dining table. "You know what they do to imposters?" He stroked one of his arrowheads, glaring at Ria with those empty eyes.

"Cut it out!" Luella said, rolling her eyes. "You too, Kaelon! Enough with the threats. You're creeping her out!"

Kaelon threw his hands up in the air. "Hey, I'm not the one petting an arrowhead like a freak, okay? I m just making a point. How else are we going to convince her?"

"Oh I don't know, we could try just asking politely!" Luella shouted, leaning over the table

"Politely!?" Kaelon said, his voice cracking. "Manners have no use here. You're not in the palace court anymore, sweetcheeks! And sit down, you're gonna poke an eye out with those knockers!"

"Manners are boring," Yuliana said, grinning wildly. "Why don't we just lock her up and deny her apples for a week? That would make me cooperate!"

"How old are you, five?" Kaelon spat. "Let the adults handle this, sweetheart."

"No one talks to Yuliana like that!" Pistol growled. And then he chucked his arrowhead at Kaelon, Yuliana was clapping and yelling "Fight, fight!" Luella was shouting for everyone to calm down and Ria was seriously considering bolting towards the door.

"Enough!" Gaegan roared, slamming his fist on the table. All at once, everyone became quiet and settled back into their seats. "Now, I'm sure Ria will not need persuasion. She probably hates _him_ as much as we do." _Who? I am so confused!_ Ria thought to herself.

"Ria," Gaegan said quietly. "We are a rebel organization, a group of people from all walks of life. But we share a common goal, to free this land and bring peace back to the kingdom. Next week, we will be raiding a weapons warehouse and meeting up with others who share our vision. We want you to lead this raid, since you are a soldier and understand the military's fighting style. As harsh as this may sound, we are not asking you to do this, we are demanding that you help us." His amethyst eyes became soft and sad. "We need you, Ria."

"Look, you don t need to threaten me," Ria said, staring up at Gaegan. "I can see that you and your friends need help. You must be desperate since you're asking some random girl you just met. But just answer this question. What are you rebelling against? I know that the kingdom is at war with people from the East, but why do you want to attack the military? If you want to end this war, stealing weapons from our side certainly won't help!"

Everyone at the table stared at her, eyes wide and mouths open.

"You seriously don't know?" Kaelon said.

"You been hiding under a rock or something?" Pistol spat.

"Well, one doesn't hear much about the outside world while on the battlefield," Ria muttered.

"It's okay if you don't know," Luella said with a sad smile. "I envy you, actually. I wish I was in the dark, too."

"In the dark about what?" Ria exclaimed, jumping out of her chair. "Will somebody please just tell me what's going on?"

"Geez, you really don't know," Kaelon said. "I thought you were just joking. We're rebelling against the monarchy, duh. Against that tyrant, King Lear."

"Don't. Say. His. Name," Pistol said through clenched teeth.

"I agree," Luella said. The others murmured in agreement.

"Lear," Ria repeated. Her mind was still not registering the name. Lear. Lear. Her kind, naive, crybaby brother. No, they couldn't be talking about him.

"The day my arrow pierces his heart will be the proudest day of my life," Pistol growled. "We will kill him, King Lear Verrucae."


	6. Chapter 6

**WHOOPS WE FORGOT TO PUT THE CHARACTERS LAST TIME.  
Sorry about that guys. xD**

**Pistol: Utatane Piko**  
**Kaelon: KAITO**  
**Yuliana: Kaai Yuki**  
**Gaegan: Kamui Gakupo**  
**Luella: Megurine Luka**

**A hint when it comes to remembering who's who is that the name we use in the story always will start with the same first letter as the Vocaloid it is. For example, Ria and Rin both start with R. Pistol and Piko both start with P. Gaegan and Gakupo both start with G. And so on and so on.**

**This chapter picks up on Lear. He's kind of been just mentioned, not actually in the story lately. So we felt bad for like...Ignoring him. **

**Time to shut up and let you guys read~**

* * *

"Your highness, it is time to wake up."

A soft voice made its way through Lear's mind as somebody gently shook his shoulder, rousing him from his sleep. A low groan rose up from his throat as he grappled to stay awake. His dream was too good to leave, lined with a warm smile and the scent of citrus and orange blossoms.

"Majesty, please. There's much to do today." The speaker shook Lear's shoulder a bit less gently, their voice sounding a bit exasperated. Finally Lear bothered to open one brilliantly blue eye, to lock a sleepy gaze with the single emerald eye of Migina, his most trusted servant.

"Glad to see you've awoken, your highness. I trust you had a restful sleep," she told him with a small smile. Lear huffed and rolled over, "Go away Migina. I want to sleep more."

Migina's sigh breathed out over him. "Your highness, there is much to be done today. As much as I would love to give you what you want, I cannot allow you to sleep in today. Now please get up, your breakfast is waiting." With that she yanked the thick blankets off of him, revealing his yellow silk pajamas.

Lear groaned and pulled himself into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes. "Fine. What's for breakfast, Migina?"

Said green haired servant bowed slightly, a tray in hands. "Today's breakfast is banana foster served on French toast drizzled with a bit of maple syrup. All the ingredients were bought fresh from the marketplace this morning. The chef sends his regards to your health and wellbeing as always."

Lear nodded, uninterested. "Sure, sure. What's on the schedule for today?" he asked, as Migina set the tray down in front of him. He sampled a piece of banana as Migina recited the day's itinerary.

"After breakfast, you have a meeting with the High Council about the war to the East. The meeting should last about three hours. Afterwards you have lessons with your tutors Madame Archambault in French and Mr. Armistead for vocal and viola lessons. After your lessons is lunch, which is to be asparagus with a poached egg and vanilla mint vinaigrette. When you have finished your lunch, you have set audiences with the citizens, and afterwards one more meeting with the council about the recent string of robberies at military weapon storage facilities. Then you are allowed free time until dinner. I have not yet been informed of what dinner will be, but you will be dining with the Duke Archibald."

Lear scoffed. "That drunk old pervert is always trying to seduce girls a third of his age. I wouldn't be surprised if he drank himself into such a stupor he started trying to seduce me." He took another bite of his breakfast, looking to the window, out at the lovely sunny day outside. _A beautiful day and I get to spend it with foolish old politicians and perverts. Excellent. _Lear sighed. "I bet _she_ isn't being yelled at by callous old fools all day..." he mused, pushing a piece of pastry around with his fork.

Migina looked down sadly at her shoes. "Majesty, Mistress Ria is in a better place now."

_You have no idea... _Lear shrugged, "And that better place has no callous old fools or perverts." It was hard to remember that he was the only one that knew that Ria hadn't been mauled by a bear, that she most likely was alive in the army somewhere.

_Or she could be dead, _a small voice told him. _She could have been shot or stabbed, or blown to bits by a cannonball. After all, death is not discriminatory. Princess or not, Ria would bleed and die just like any other soldier..._

"Your Majesty?"

Migina's voice alighted on his ears. He looked up and saw her there, her single eye wide with sorrow and concern.

Lear sighed and looked away from her. Sometimes, he hated the way she looked at him, her face full of pity. He wasn't a child anymore, he didn't need her constant mothering. He heaved a sigh. "Yes, Migina?"

"I, uh, just wanted to make sure you're okay. You got very quiet all of a sudden, Your Majesty."

"Well, I'm fine. Can I just enjoy my breakfast in peace?" He stabbed at a bit of pastry with his fork. "Must I always be talking?"

"N-no, of course not. I just-"

"Enough." Lear got out of bed, throwing his napkin onto the tray. "I've lost my appetite. Might as well greet the High Council early." Turning on his heel, he walked briskly out of his bedroom, his hands clenched into fists for some reason.

He didn't know why he was so angry, but his eyebrows were furrowed and his shoulders were shaking.

"Uh, Your Majesty," Migina said in a small voice. "You might want to change out of your pajamas before meeting with the High Council."

Lear growled and stalked back into the room, imagining Ria laughing at him for nearly storming out in his night things. _Lear, you're such a dummy! Hehe, how can you forget to get dressed!? _her voice giggled in his mind. He shook his head, starting to peel off his silky yellow pajamas as Migina selected an outfit for him.

Ten minutes later, Lear was outfitted in an ornate black button up coat with golden buttons and epaulets, shiny gold braided thread intricately creating patterns throughout the dark fabric. He hated it for it was a tad too tight in the shoulders, and the only pair of breeches that matched it tended to ride up in strange places. However, it was his most sophisticated attire, and he was required to wear it whenever he went to see the High Council, which was most days.

Migina finished fastening the buckles on his shoes and straightened up, smoothing the clean white fabric of her gown.

"You look very handsome, Your Majesty. I hope your meeting goes well." She curtsied, her face emotionless, as it typically was. "Have a wonderful morning. I will attend to you after the meeting."

"The meeting going well...what a ludicrous thought," Lear muttered, as if he hadn't heard anything else she'd said. "I'll see you in a few hours, Migina. Try not to work too hard."

"I'll try, Your Majesty." She curtsied again and proceeded to leave the bedroom.

Lear sighed and hung around in his chambers a bit longer, preparing himself for a dreary morning of annoying old men yelling at him about things he couldn't control. He strolled over to his nightstand, picking up the photo that sat there, surrounded by a simple wooden frame.  
It was a picture of himself and Ria, taken when they were twelve. Ria's long hair was pulled back into a ponytail as always, sunny bangs nearly hiding her bright blue eyes. She was wearing her favorite dress, a simple orange frock that Migina had brought her from the marketplace. Her grin lit up the entire frame as she held her brother in a headlock, laughing.

Lear smiled at the photo. _Hope you're safe, sis. _

He shook his head, pushing away the steadily approaching melancholy that thinking of Ria always brought, and rushed out of the room, putting the photo back facedown. Time for a meeting.


	7. Chapter 7

**That last chapter was short...OH WELL~**

**Lear Verrucae: Kagamine Len**

**Migina Ansell: Hatsune Miku**

* * *

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Lear snapped.

"N-no, Your Majesty. I was only suggesting that we recall some of the soldiers. They've been gone for months, but most aren't needed at the frontlines. Can't we bring some home, Your Majesty? Just a few hundred, maybe. They're needed here, where the rebels are starting to-"

"I know what these 'rebels' are doing! I'm not a fool!" Lear slammed his fist onto the table. "I think you are making more of this supposed 'rebellion' than it actually is, my dear Councilman. I tire of your constant references to 'rebels' and 'threats to the kingdom'. Those in the East, _**they**_ are the threat to the kingdom, not a rabble of unorganized kids trying to, how did you put it...? 'Uproot the tyranny'? So no, I will not pull the soldiers back. We are too close to winning the war in the East for us to quit now!"

"But, sir. This war is unnecessary. The Council has been telling you this for some time. The war is very unpopular, and why you have dragged it on for this long is unknown to us. This war is not to defend our grand kingdom, it is almost..." The Councilman's voice faded. The large stack of papers in his hands trembled.

"Almost what?" Lear growled, leaning forward in his chair. "Spit it out, already!"

"I...uh...well, you see, a few of us equate it to...um...warmongering."

"Warmongering?" Lear repeated the word slowly. "So now I'm a warmonger, is that it? I want my people to die, I want to burn villages and slaughter thousands of people, is that it!?"

"No, please, that is not what I meant!"

Lear leapt to his feet, his hand reaching for the knife in his belt. "I will not be spoken to like that by a greedy, lowly little Councilman like you! How dare you!?"

"B-but, sir, please listen to reason!"

Roaring, Lear pulled out his knife and flung it across the room. It flew past the other members of the Council, who dove beneath their seats and covered their heads. The knife zipped through the air and hit the Councilman right in the middle of his left eye. The silver blade sunk into his cornea, and he fell backward, blood spurting everywhere.

Silence settled over the room like a cloak, as the shocked councilmembers stared at the unmoving man on the floor. Blood was steadily trickling from his wound and pouring around his head. There was no steady rise and fall of the councilman's chest indicating a beating heart and the constant intake of air to supply oxygen to a working brain.

He was dead, dead as a doornail, dead as the boar that was being roasted in the palace kitchen's for the King's dinner that night. And Lear had murdered him.

After the initial shock faded, business went on as usual. A bell was rang, servants summoned, and the body was removed. The bloodstains were cleaned from the carpet and the knife was wiped and returned to Lear, who put it back in its sheath without a word.

Once things were cleaned up, Lear sat back in his seat and crossed his legs, leaning back nonchalantly, as if he didn't even notice he had just robbed a man of his life. He rested his chin on his open palm and looked to the remaining councilmembers. "So, is there anybody else who like to say anything?" Lear was answered by silence.

He smiled, shutting his eyes and allowing his lips to curl up into a pleasant, carefree expression. "Good, now if you all will excuse me." The young king stood up and brushed off his pants before leaving the room, the High Council watching his back with a mix of horror, fear, and the deep rooted respect caused by such feelings.

* * *

While he appeared perfectly calm on the outside, on the inside, Lear was a mess.

_How could you do that!? _his conscience screamed at him. _You killed a man just because of a petty insult! Again! Ria would be __**disgusted**__ with you! Bastard, you'll burn in Hell._

Lear scowled. _Ria would probably have laughed about how lucky a toss it was. Shut up. He deserved it. He needed to learn to respect his superiors, and hopefully he will be a better man in the next life. _

_Look at you, trying to justify your despicable actions. He deserved it, did he? Well, what do you think __**you **__deserve? Hmmm? A knife to __**your**__ eye, a rope around __**your **__neck, that's what you deserve...you rotten murderer. _

Lear growled and started pacing around his chambers. _Didn't I tell you to shut up? I'm the King of this country, and people need to respect me. I'm doing everything I'm doing to make sure Ria was right when she said I'll be a great ruler. You don't know what you're talking about. You were weak, spineless. That's why I had to take over. Shut up._

_Weak? No, I was kind, you fool. People loved me. And now they hate you. You know what you did? You invaded the East. They never posed any threat, you attacked them to prove your power. I was spineless, was I now? At least I didn't go around killing innocents to make myself feel better. Face it, you have a complex. Inside, you're just a whimpering child who wants to show everyone how strong you are. Ria would be so disappointed...so disappointed. _

_Disappointed? Disappointed!? Shut up! You're calling __**me**__ the fool!? You don't know a damn thing! You were the one who grew up to be a warrior, remember?! You never had to deal with the stress that running a kingdom is! Ria had that imposed on her since birth! I know her situation better than __**you**__ ever could, you...you...you...abomination! You were a sniveling little brat that relied on his big sister to save his arse every time he got into trouble. __**I **__know how to defend myself. You should be quiet and disappear like you're supposed to!_

_But I will never disappear. As long as you live, so do I. Unless you want to kill yourself...is that what you want? You're a coward already, so suicide would be a fitting demise for you. Like I said, I've never killed anyone. I've never set fire to an entire town out of pettiness. You talk about stress...please. That's just another one of your excuses. That's all you do, make excuses. Defending yourself doesn't mean you can kill anyone you want. That councilman was right, you are a warmonger. _

_Are you sure that __**you**__ aren't the warmonger? _Lear asked his inner copy. He plopped into a chair and shut his eyes, rubbing his temples as the inner argument raged. _After all, you're the one that is constantly popping up and questioning my decisions and actions. You're giving me a bloody headache, you know. I never call you, you call me. You always continue in these stupid rants and always are making me feel like I'm going insane. You're always stroking the coals in this inner war of ours. Maybe it's because you know if it stops, you will die away, just like I intended. Damn stubborn fool. _

_It's funny, you act as though I am some kind of demon, some foreign substance tainting your mind. Don't you get it, I am you, you are me. We are inseparable. The only reason I bother you, is because you know what you're doing is wrong. I am a manifestation of your subconscious, nothing more. So maybe you're crazy after all. I am trying to save you, and I will continue to try until your last breath. You better pray that I don't fade away, because once I do, you will know that you have become truly evil...But I'll leave you for now. Remember, I will never leave, I am always watching..._

"GOD DAMNIT JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" Lear yelled, standing up in his chair, clutching his head.

A soft voice drifted across the room. "M-Majesty...your lunch is ready..." A random serving maid stood at the entrance to Lear's chambers, looking surprised and openly frightened.

Lear scowled, taking a slow, deep breath and running his fingers through his bangs, making them even messier. "I'm not hungry. I shall eat at another time. Leave me."

The maid nodded and quickly scampered away, most likely thinking Lear was half-mad. She had obviously heard his outburst.

Lear muttered a curse to himself and plopped back into the chair, rubbing his temples. The headache was a normal occurrence after one of the arguments with _**him**_. It didn't mean he liked it though.

"Damn stubborn fool...why won't he just go away and never come back?" he muttered, sighing. He leaned forward and rest his head in his hands, cerulean eyes closed. "...What if he's right though? What if I really am making the wrong decisions? That I really am somebody that Ria would hate..."

It was times like this that he wished Ria had never left, that she was beside him. At least then he wasn't constantly worrying in the back of his mind if she was dead or crippled or disgusted by the way he was ruling the country that was her's by birthright. That she had given to him because she trusted him to do a better job than she ever could.

Lear sat up and rubbed his eyes. God, he was tired. He wanted to sleep and never wake up again, but of course, he couldn't. He sighed and leaned back again. Couldn't hurt to take a nap though. Migina could wake him up later.

He yawned and walked over to his bed, kicking off his shoes and falling into the blankets.

It was time for a good sleep.

* * *

_Lear was lying in a field. A field of flowers, with the sunlight shining down on him. It felt nice, that comforting yet burning warmth on his arms._

_He sat up, and saw that he wasn't in his stuffy palace clothes, but a loose white shirt and black pants. His feet were bare. _

_He wiggled his toes, relishing the freedom in just not wearing shoes. _

_A familiar voice called his name, one that he had been longing to hear for almost five years now. He turned._

_Ria. She stood beneath a willow tree, wearing a simple white dress that floated around her body. The ribbon he had given her the night she left tied her long blonde hair into a high ponytail. She called his name again. "Lear! Come on over!" she waved._

_Lear stood up, and he ran to her, pumping his arms and legs as fast as they would go. _

_He stopped in front of her, panting and resting his hands on his knees. He looked up to her, speaking between labored breaths. "R-Ria...? How did you-?"_

_Ria smiled and put a finger to her lips. "Follow me, Lear. Come on!" She turned and ran, her hair and dress flowing behind her in the breeze. Lear straightened up and ran after her. "Ria! Wait up!"_

_His sister giggled and continued running, leaving him in her dust. Lear went after her, trying to catch up. It seemed the faster he ran, the further away Ria got._

"_Ria! Stop! Please!" he yelled after her. She didn't turn, or even acknowledge that she'd even heard him. Lear tripped, stumbling to the ground. As he pulled himself into a sitting position, he saw that Ria was gone, nowhere to be seen._

_Lear stood up, eyes wide. The pure sunny sky was beginning to darken, and a cold wind blew his hair in his face. He felt somebody tap his shoulder. "Ria...?"_

_It wasn't Ria, but the Councilman from that morning. The one he had killed. The knife was still lodged in his eye socket, blood and gore dripping down his face. "Your highness," he said sarcastically. "I believe it is time for a punishment." The Councilman pulled the blade from what was left of his eye, revealing a nauseating, gaping hole where a warm brown iris had once been. _

"_All hail His Majesty, King Lear Verrucae!" he crowed as he plunged the knife into Lear's heart._

* * *

Lear darted up in bed, panting. Cold sweat made his clothes stick to his skin, his hair damp against the nape of his neck. He took a few deep breaths, feeling his heart thrum in his chest as he ran a hand through his hair. _Just a dream...Just a dream...Just a dream..._

He took a look around the room, frowning when he saw the dim light of the evening shining through the curtains. "How long have I been asleep?" Lear wondered aloud, standing up and stretching out the kinks in his muscles. He looked across the room and noticed a cover tray, as well as what looked like a folded piece of paper.

Lear crossed the room and picked up the note, unfolding it and scanning over the page.

"_Majesty Lear-_

_I came in to get you and found you asleep. You've been under a lot of stress lately, so I decided to leave you. I made this for you in case you're hungry when you awaken._

_-Migina."_

Lear uncovered the tray and found a banana and peanut butter sandwich, cut into four triangles. It was one of his favorite foods, most likely because of its simplicity. Since sandwiches were the only thing Ria knew how to make she would make them for him sometimes.

Lear smirked and took a bite, savoring the sweetness and not even bothering to hide the smacks caused by the peanut butter.

Even if everybody else left him, he'd always have Migina.


	8. Chapter 8

**Well, we're back to Ria this chapter. Hopefully your cravings for Lear have been satisfied. (Though, it was incredibly fun to write his psycho moments. :3)**

**Here are the characters:**

**Ria Verrucae (Kagamine Rin)**

**Gaegan Kamon (Kamui Gakupo)**

**Kaelon Kamon (KAITO)**

**Yuliana Kamon (Kaai Yuki)**

**Pistol Challis (Utatane Piko)**

**Luella Veronesi (Megurine Luka)**

**Hope you enjoy! (And if you review Alice-nee and I will give you a virtual cookie~)**

* * *

"The day my arrow pierces his heart will be the proudest day of my life. We will kill him, King Lear Verrucae." Pistol's voice rang in Ria's ears, echoing the deadly phrase over and over again. "We will kill him...kill him...kill..."

They can't...They can't kill Lear...No!

Gaegan gave Ria a fatherly glance. "Dear, I know it must be a difficult decision, especially for a soldier who has sworn loyalty to the King, but you simply must make a decision."

Ria took a shuddering breath, running her fingers through her short, shaggy blonde hair. She noted the lack of a black ribbon on her wrist and made a note in the back of her mind to ask about it, but not now. "What has he done? What has Lear done to earn the name tyrant?"

Gaegan sighed, shaking his head. "The war in the East. Strategically, there was never a reason to attack, and even now there's no reason to continue. You yourself know firsthand the horrors of the war, and Lear has been stretching it out for almost three years now without reason. He is a warmonger."

"He's screwed the people over," Pistol growled, fingering his arrowhead. "High taxes, public executions for no reason, insane punishments for something as simple as swiping a loaf of bread. He doesn't give a damn about them one way or the other, does nothing to help them. He squeezed out every little penny he can to fund his stupid war."

Yuliana giggled and clapped her hands. "Miss Luella says he's a wacko too! As nutty as peanut butter!"

Said pink haired woman frowned down at the little girl. "I never used the word wacko or nutty. It's true though, his sanity is something to be questioned. It's not uncommon for the staff to hear him shouting at the air in his chambers. He also can get rather...violent..."

Ria's head snapped up. "Violent? What do you mean, violent?"

Luella bit her lip and frowned, her sky blue eyes showing her hesitation. "Well, there was another incident today..."

Kaelon growled, "Another!? What is that now, the fifth one!?"

"Sixth," Luella corrected, leaning back and crossing her arms with a sigh.

Ria frowned. "Incident? What do you mean?"

Everyone at the table hesitated. Yuli went over to Gaegan and grabbed his single hand. Kaelon looked away from Ria, Pistol down at his arrowhead. Luella nervously started gnawing on her pinky nail. An awkward silence ensued.

The silence was finally broken by Gaegan, who cleared his throat. "By incident Luella means murder. As of today, Lear has murdered six of the members of Parliament. Six of his Council." Gaegan looked to Luella with a frown. "What happened this time?"

"From my understanding, the man said that Lear was a warmonger to his face and ended up with Lear's knife embedded in his head."

"Well, it wasn't a false accusation," Pistol muttered to himself, mismatched eyes narrowing.

Ria could barely make out his words, but a sudden anger boiled up inside her. "You can't say that. He's not a..."

"He's not a what?" Pistol snapped. "Are you seriously still on his side!? He's murdered countless people and now he's personally killing his own advisors! It's not my fault you're a mindless soldier who clings so desperately to your psychotic king!"

"That's enough," Luella said, her voice stern. "It's natural for someone to trust their leader...to believe that there might still be some good in them."

Pistol scoffed yet said nothing, the snowy haired boy slinking down in his seat.

Ria closed her eyes, clenching and unclenching her hands. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Why am I so angry? Because they're insulting my brother...? Because I'm scared they're telling the truth...? A mix of the two?

She stood up, her chair's legs screeching loudly against the hard wooden floor. The others looked up expectantly.

"I need a little bit to think by myself. I'll come back, I promise."

Not giving them time to respond, Ria half walked and half ran out of the room, down the hall, and out the door into the cool evening air. Crickets were chirping steadily in the growing darkness, creating a natural symphony that did little to calm Ria's pounding heart, or quiet the dark thoughts swirling through her mind.

She took a shuddering breath. So much was happening…what was she supposed to do? She couldn't explain her relationship with Lear.

Saying, "Oh hey guys, he's my brother so we can't kill him," would ruin everything. Pistol's arrow would pierce her throat in seconds. No, she couldn't say anything. Hiding her shock would prove difficult, but she was a soldier, as cold as a stone. Lying was second nature to her. After all, she'd been lying about her identity for what felt like forever. If she could pretend to be a man, then pretending to hate Lear would be easy…she hoped.

Another shaky breath through cracked lips.

Just stop feeling so angry, Ria. Stop it!

This anger was starting to scare her. Her bond to Lear was stronger than she'd imagined. Her loyalty to her king, her brother, was unyielding. But she would have to fake it, her life depended on it.

Her hands balled into fists, she sighed and closed her eyes. And within five seconds, her eyes popped back open.

She heard it before it happened. The sound of a bomb flying through the air.

Outside the inn, there was a town. There were people talking and trading, and children playing in the streets. Above it all, a bomb was flying. It hit the tallest building, pausing for a split second. Its atoms hummed against one another, buzzing and foaming like rabid dogs poised to fight. Then it exploded, the building falling atop itself, melting. A wax doll collapsing in a candle's flame.

The foundation burst as the energy wave rippled up through its framework. Its bones broke, its steel veins ripped open, a red plume of fire enveloping its skin. The men standing on its roof, simple workers fixing the roof, were thrown into the air like broken marionettes. Their limbs were torn asunder, the remains plummeting to the earth.

The sound was hellish in Ria's ears. Hellish, yet familiar.

It pulsated in the air, a symphony composed by some midnight angel hiding in the shadows of the dead. Every explosion and scream shook her arms and made her fingertips tremble. She was knocked backward, falling to the ground.

Inside the inn, she heard Yuliana's screams and Pistol's string of curses.

What was going on?

Only the military possessed bombs like that. Was this Lear's doing? Was it true, the rumors that he lived for destruction? The fallen building was his recent accomplishment, smoke rising from its mouth as it gasped for air.

Ria stood up, not bothering to wipe the blood off her face. She bolted out into the street, thinking instantly about the innocents screaming beneath the rubble. So many mutilated bodies were piled high in the dirt. So many lonely limbs that would never find their owners. She tripped over a mound of concrete. A lovely sphere came rolling down from its peak. It stopped at her feet, and she stared into the empty blue eyes, like looking into a cracked mirror.

Her entire body shivered as she suppressed a scream. She had to keep going.

Another building was standing alone a few blocks away. It was crumbling, pieces of its body scattered across the street like driftwood on a beach. Ria stopped when he first saw it. Asphalt crackled beneath her boots, asphalt from the street where so many people were living peacefully moments ago.

Ria was not afraid when she saw this scene of devastation. She ran towards it, her eyes full of fire. When she got there, a soldier was running by, chasing a pair of crying girls. Ria lunged at him, biting and scratching.

"Leave them alone!" she shrieked.

The soldier saw her outfit, a military uniform. "What the hell are you doing? We're on the same side!" he screamed.

Ria ignored him and pushed him into the empty building. Suddenly, a grenade landed beside them. She punched the soldier and pushed him towards the grenade.

There was a moment of silence, and then a fountain of crimson blood engulfed Ria and the building quaked as the grenade went off.

She felt the ground begin to shake under her feet as she escaped from the eminent destruction that had devoured the poor building, and all inside. It imploded, an exact opposite effect than from before. It and its brother were complete contraries, a black and white genealogy.

Ria ran in no particular direction, she just ran. Screaming, "Run! Run! Everyone get out of here!" she kept going.

Where was the inn? In her mad dash, the entire town had been flipped upside down. Left, right, left again.

Where the hell am I?!

A massive warehouse was suddenly a few meters away from her. She gawked at it; it was so large compared to the townhouses around it. While she in stood in idiotic hush, another soldier ran by. But this time, the soldier was fleeing from something. Faceless people began to scream behind Ria, their voices crying out.

"It's THEM!" they shrieked. "They're coming!"

Ria's eyes widened as the idea registered in his mind.

Them...she knew who "they" were. The group of battle mages employed by the military. Soulless monsters that killed both friend and foe. No wonder the foot soldiers were running. The realization hit her in an instance; this town was going to be destroyed. The battle mages did not wound, they were made to kill.

They were approaching. And when they came, they would murder everyone in their path. Battle mages possessed extreme power. With their magic, they would set your brain ablaze and corrode your nerves from the inside, calling forth from you screams of utter agony as you died. That's what they did. Sent out a flood of unseen waves that disintegrated people and turned them to ash. Their magic could open every blood vessel in your brain, or so it was said.

Ria gritted her teeth. "Shit."

She looked back at the warehouse. That would provide some coverage at least. But the others; Yuliana, Gaegan, Kaelon, Pistol, Luella…all of them were in danger.

No, I can't worry about them right now. If I die, then what? No, no, no. I have to protect myself first.

Ria sprinted towards the warehouse, breathing hard. She got there in the midst of total confusion. A small group had gathered inside. People were yelling and funneling into the warehouse, trying to hide.

Like sheep in a slaughterhouse…dammit, we're all going to die.

Her head whipped around as she searched for some kind of way out, any way out of this upcoming catastrophe. There she was, was standing in the warehouse, surrounded by nothing and everything. But wait, there was a hole in the back of the building. Not very large, but big enough for people to escape…

Blue eyes widened. It was suddenly there, a feeling that edged at the surface of her mind, like a footstep that was about to resound. They were coming. It was almost perceptible, and Ria's hands jumped to a sword that was halfway sticking out of a box.

Drawing it, she jumped up on a wooden crate and let out an animalistic scream.

She hollered until her throat felt raw. The crowd suddenly fell quiet and looked her way.

"Listen up! They're coming! We have to defend ourselves!" She pointed her sword at the group of frightened people. "I know a way out of here! Women and children, follow me!"

"But what's the point?" someone cried. "They'll kill us all!"

"If a single person gets out of here alive, we have succeeded, and proved you wrong. So shut your trap! Now come on!"


End file.
